


I own you

by Jonah_Smith_907



Series: Some fluff shit, some rough shit. [3]
Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: ABUSIVE FRANK, Abusive Relationship, DO NOT READ IF TRIGGERED BY ABUSVIE RELATIONSHIPS, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Frank is deeply flawed, Hurt/Comfort, I don't know why I made this, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, This is heavy shit, and Matt doesn't really realize that, and abusive, but Foggy and Vladimir help, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-13 00:09:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14738381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jonah_Smith_907/pseuds/Jonah_Smith_907
Summary: Matt is in an abusive relationship with Frank. Vladimir and Foggy don't aggree.DO NOT USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE FOR RELATIONSHIPS! If you know somebody who is in a similar relationship as Matt and Frank, please talk to them and get them out of there. That's not how it's done.





	I own you

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly I have no clue why I wrote this, I just did. I hope nobody who's actually been in an abusive relationship feels offended or something. And I hope that maybe if somebody who currently is in an abusive relationship reads this, they will get the courage to get out.

“Frank, I'm home.”. Matt called into their shared flat and then proceeded in entering, carefully balancing his groceries with one hand while putting his keys back into his pocket. “You there?”, he asked after a few minutes, when there was still no answer. His partner didn't like it when he used his senses to find out these kinda things at home.

“Yeah, I'm here alright.”, eventually came back the grumpy reply, followed by a grumpy Frank with a grumpy expression on his face. Matt could already feel his own heartbeat speed up when he smelled his lover's agitation. “What took you so long?”

“There was a queue at the supermarket and I had to wait.”, he was quiet to answer. “I'm sorry I'm late.” He was just hoping that Frank wouldn't get angry. It wasn't nice when he got angry. 

But of course the vigilante's silent pleas weren't heard.

“I don't like it when you're late!”, the older man said, voice dangerously low, breath heavy and a little fast. “I really don't. “ He took a step closer to Matt, who instantly took a step back, in fear of his partner's anger, adrenaline shooting into his legs, heart dropping. Much to his disadvantage, because Frank was only aiming for the groceries, to put them away. But now the whole situation changed, the whole mood shifted into something less invisibly threatening, into something straight up dangerous. “Are you _scared_ of me?!”, the older man spat. “Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“Sorry.”, Mat hurried. He carefully put the bags down and approached Frank, leaning in for a hug. “I'm not scared of you. It's just that fast motions sometimes frighten me.”

He really hoped that would improve the situation.

It didn't.

 

“Rough night, huh?”, Foggy asked and poured his friend a beer.

Matt didn't say anything but just nodded, gulping down half of his drink in a few seconds and ignored Vladimir's raised brow.

The three of them met every Friday night at Josie's to drink and talk and have fun. Some nights Matt would be in a good mood, drink next to nothing and joke around. Some night he'd be more quiet, drink a few beers and try to keep up his mask. And some night all he wanted to do was drink and don't think about anything. 

Those nights were usually after a fight with Frank.

Tonight was one of those nights. 

And Foggy and Vladimir, they knew, but they didn't comment on it. Never did. They'd let him drink in peace and take him home safely. 

Once they'd tried talking to him, but that had ended with Matt yelling at them for invading his private life and then storming off into the night.

He'd been very ashamed the next day.

That's what the Russian thought about when he tapped an already drunk Matt lightly on the shoulder to get his attention after about an hour. “Tell me what is going on.”, he demanded in a calm voice. To get an at least halfway straight answer out of Matt Murdock, you had to cut the shit. So here he was, cutting the shit.

The lawyer frowned behind his glasses. “What do you mean?”, he asked, already slightly slurring.

Foggy joined the other man: “Some nights you drink like your life depends on it, and those nights are piling up.”

“... so? What are you saying?” He took off his glasses and started fidgeting with them in his lap, not looking up.

“Is everything okay with you and Frank?”

Matt gave a bitter laugh. Then he started crying. He just sat there and cried, not even bothering to hide his tears. 

Vladimir exchanged a worried look with Foggy and leaned to his friend, a little awkwardly hugging him from the side, soothingly stroking his neck and back and letting him bury his head in his shoulder. 

“It will be okay.”, he said. “We help.”

Foggy nodded. “We will figure this out. But Matt ...” He hesitated. “I think you need to break up.”

“But he lost everyone!”, Matt replied with shaking voice. “I can't just break up with him. I don't want to hurt him.”

“And what about you? This whole relationship is hurting you. And we can see it.”, Foggy reminded him. “And if we can see it, why can't Frank? Or does he, and just chooses to ignore it? He is hurting you. Whether it is emotionally or physically. You really can't tell me you are staying with him because he is so good for you? Or because you feel like it's your duty, or because you owe him something, or because he's so damaged? I understand that you only want to help, but Frank Castle is a deeply flawed man and before you continue to suffer for his sake, he should go see a therapist or something. He's not ready for a relationship. And maybe he never will be, but it's not your job to save him. It really isn't.”

For a few minutes Matt didn't say anything, clearly throwing this argument around in his head, trying to figure out what to do. “And what do you suggest I do? Frank isn't somebody you just break up with.” He didn't say that he was afraid of that conversation, afraid of getting hurt. Again. And he also tried not to let show how relieved he was, that his friends were helping him. That he could leave Frank. Because deep down, he had longed for that to happen for a long time.

“I go with you.”, Vladimir offered. Though the way he straightened up in his seat, eyebrows drawn together, made clear that it wasn't really an offer, but more a statement. And nobody could change his mind.

The vigilante gave him a look, gladness and fear fighting for the better place. After a few more seconds he finally answered quietly: “Okay.”

 

Matt had been anxious since he'd woken up at six in the morning. He'd tried to get his mind off the subject 'Breaking up with Frank Castle' by looking into a case, but it hadn't done much good. It had been a divorce-case. Eventually he'd gotten up and made breakfast.

Now his partner joined him in the kitchen and sat down next to him, but not without pressing a few soft kisses into his neck.

“You're quiet.”, he eventually said between two bites of scrambled eggs.

“Just thinking.”, Matt replied flatly. He was trying not to think about those sweet kisses, which still managed to make him feel butterflies in his stomach. This was not going to end well.

You see, the problem with abusive relationships is, that the one who's doing the abusing – Frank – always goes back to being nice and apologizing and cherishing his partner – Matt. And that didn't make it any easier to leave, because there's always the faint possibility that Frank would change, that he'd suddenly turn good and kind.

But he wouldn't. They barely ever do. And yet, the wish, the hope that Frank would turn, was enough to make people like Matt stay. People who tended to think everybody else was more important than themselves.

“About what?”, the older man pressed. 

About leaving you. About hurting you, about kicking you out of my apartment. “Nothing.”

“You sure about that?” There it was again, this tone, this little strain in his voice.

“Yeah.” Matt tried to give him a genuine smile and hoped it would convince him. “I'm sure.”

“Huh.” 

For a few minutes they ate in silence.

Then someone knocked, loud and clear. 

The lawyer felt as though somebody had just emptied a bucket full of ice over his head and froze in his chair, while Frank got up with a raised eyebrow and answered the door. Of course Matt knew who it was that had knocked, yet a part of him wished he was wrong. 

“I am friend of Matthew.” The Russian accent belonged to Vladimir. And he didn't wait to be invited inside, he just entered and went straight into the kitchen, where the vigilante was still sitting like a statue. “You start?”, he asked quietly, just before Frank joined them. 

Matt nodded. Then he turned towards Frank, who seemed to be waiting for something to happen. And yet, Matt found it harder than ever to find the right words, to even start talking at all. Though he had to, he knew that much. Eventually he took a deep breath and hurried out: “I lied.”

“About what?” His voice was strained again, deep and rough, the first sign of his fury boiling up.

“Just now?” It sounded more like the question of an insecure schoolboy than a statement of a grown man, who also happened to be lawyer. “I was thinking about something.”

“Yeah?”

Do it like ripping off a plaster: short and painless. He had to take a few more deep breaths before he finally managed to say quickly and quietly: “About breaking up with you.”

Frank stared at him in disbelief and started pacing around, anger keeping him in motion, Vladimir the only reason he wasn't throwing punches yet. “No, you can't do that!”, he finally spat and pointed at his 'partner'. The Russian took a step closer to Matt, ready to step in. “You belong to me! I own you!” He had stopped pacing now, but was still pointing at Matt, eyes glowing with fury, lips pressed tightly together. 

Matt could feel tears welling up in his eyes, so he tried to breathe them away. “I really hoped you wouldn't say that.”, he croaked. “I really did.” The tears spilled over, but he didn't wipe them off. “I want you gone by tonight.”

The older man looked at Vladimir, who stared right back with cold eyes. 

He had lost and he knew it. He huffed out some mean curses, grabbed his coat and stormed off.

“We will put box with his things in front of door.”, the Russian said softly after a few minutes of stunned silence. 

Matt turned to face him teary-eyed. “Thanks. For being here.” He let out a shaky sigh. “And for letting me see … him.”

“Always, .” He pulled the vigilante into a side-hug and pressed a soft kiss into his hair. “Always.”


End file.
